Sliding can opener



Nov. 8, 1955 R. A. WITH ERS SLIDING CAN OPENER Filed March 15, 1955 IN V EN TOR. Raymond A. l V/i/I ers BY 55 L.

Aff'y tes Patent Ofiice 2,722,737 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 SLIDING CAN OPENER Raymond A. Withers, Belmont, Calif.

Application March 15, 1955, Serial No. 494,307

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to improvements in canopeners.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a can opener which may be used for opening any size of can or any type of can wherein it is desired to puncture the top thereof so as to pour the contents therefrom.

A further object is to provide means for accommodating different heights of cans and to cause different sizes of punctures in the different can tops; that is, in a large can, it would be a large puncture, while in a small can, it would be a small puncture.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may be quickly and automatically adjusted to the proper distance between the base upon which the can sets and the puncturing element, and means for locking the puncture element or the base, as the case may be, in adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a wall type of can-puncturing device showing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the puncture opening in a large can;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the puncture opening in a small can;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a table top base; and

Fig. 7 is a modified form of wall bracket base.

In opening cans which contain liquids, such as fruit juices, beverages and the like, it has been common practice to puncture the top adjacent One edge thereof to cause a triangular-shaped opening through which the contents of the can may be dispensed.

There are many types of cans wherein this type of opening cannot be made with the present can openers for the reason that the can does not have a turn-down rim against which the lever action of the can opener is fulcrumed.

It is therefore desirable to have a can opener which will accommodate any size of can as to diameter or height, within the limits of the device.

Applicant has therefore devised a can opener which will have all these advantages.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates an upright which is secured to a pair of wall brackets 6 and 7, the wall bracket 7 having a pivoted base 8.

Slidable on the upright 5 is a slider 9, which slider has a pair of pinch pins as shown at 11 and 12, which slide along the side of the upright and are normally held in sliding position by a spring-pressed contact pin 13.

Pivoted in the slider is a handle 14 having a punching element 16 and an offset punching pin 17. The slider also has a pair of offset recesses 18 and 19, which recesses are adapted to straddle the top of any can having a rim.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a base 21 which is adapted to support the upright 5 when the device is used as a tablesupported opener.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of base 22 which takes the place of the base 8 and allows the base to be elevated or lowered instead of raising and lowering the slider 9.

The same arrangement of punch pins is used and further comment thereon is unnecessary.

As a result of this construction, when the can A is resting on the base 8 and the slider 18 is moved down thereagainst, the recess 19 will engage the top rim of the can, assuming that it is a can with a rim, and at that time the handle 14 wil be in a vertical position.

Then, by moving the handle to a horizontal position, the punching element 16 will move downwardly through the top, punching a strip of metal downwardly and against the side of the can, so as to form a pouring spout, as shown at 23 in Figs. 4 and 5.

The fact that the slider 9 is offset from the upright 5 will cause the downward pressure of the cutting element to cant the slider and cause a pinching action between the pinching pins 11 and 12 and the sides of the upright, thus locking the slider against any movement upwardly and away from the can during the punching operation.

The pin 17 will also cause a vent hole in the top of the can.

It is of course understood that this pin 17 may be eliminated if necessary, as the hole formed in the top of the can is sufliciently large to allow air to enter the can during the pouring operation.

When it is desired to punch a small can, as shown in dotted lines at B, then only the point of the punch 16 will enter the top of the can, for the reason that the top of the can B will be resting under the recess 18, thus maintaining the cutting element at a higher elevation.

It will thus be seen that my can opener will accomplish all of the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A can opener having an upright, a slider mounted on said upright, a can-supporting base associated with said upright, a slider carrying a pivoted punching element for punching an opening in a can supported on said base, and offset recesses carried by said slider for engaging the top of the can and to limit the travel of said punching element into said can.

2. A can opener having an upright, a slider mounted on said upright, a pair of pinch pins carried by said slider and engaging said upright, a pivoted lever secured to said slider and at one side of said upright so as to cause a tilting action of said slider to effect a gripping action of said pinching pins on said upright when said pivoted lever is moved to cant said slider, a punching element carried by said pivoted lever, a base for supporting cans in alignment with said punching element, offset recesses formed in said slider for engagement with the top of the can, each of said recesses individually limiting the travel of said slider with relation to the top of said can, whereby said punching element will be limited in its punching action to the top of the can.

No references cited. 

